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Abbotsford Heat News/Discussion

Upcoming Game: Heat vs Providence Bruins
February 25, 2011

The Abbotsford Heat will play their next game this Friday, February 25th against the Providence Bruins at the Abbotsford Sports and Entertainment Centre. Catch all the action on Country 107.1 with pregame at 6:30 and puck drop at 7:00pm.

Abbotsford, B.C. - Mark Arcobello would collect his second goal against the Heat in as many nights to complete the comeback, as the Oklahoma City Barons skated to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Abbotsford Heat Saturday night at the Abbotsford Sports and Entertainment Centre.

For the second night in a row Abbotsford would open the scoring with Greg Nemisz deflecting a point shot from Keith Seabrook past Barons goaltender Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers at 6:36 of the first. The Heat would build on their one goal lead at 12:49, as Gaelan Patterson would deliver a perfect pass to the stick of Logan MacMillan, sliding the puck under Drouin-Deslauriers making it 2-0 Heat. Local Abbotsford product Brad Moran would cut the Heat's lead to one late in the first snapping a shot past the blocker of Heat goaltender Leland Irving to make it a 2-1 game after one period of play.

After a scoreless second period, the Barons tied the game on the power play as OK City forward Teemu Hartikainen made a nice move to beat Irving on a solo effort. The game would remain tied 2-2 and head to overtime, setting the stage for the Arcobello winner.

Calgary, AB - Calgary Flames Executive Vice President & General Manager Darryl Sutter announced today that Troy Ward has been named Assistant Coach for the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League.

Ward joins the Flames organization following three seasons with the Houston Aeros, the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate, the past two in the position of Assistant Coach & Assistant General Manager.

Ward served as an Assistant Coach with the Aeros during the 2007-08 season and primarily focused on developing the Aeros young defensive corps. The Aeros' defense allowed a league-low 183 goals and had a team record 32-point improvement. In 2008 his role was expanded to include the Assistant General Manager responsibilities of overseeing the day-to-day hockey operations of the club.

Ward served as the ECHL's Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations in 2001-02 and was also the General Manager/Head Coach of the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League in 1993.

In addition to his managerial background, Ward has had success coaching at all levels of hockey. Houston was Ward's second stop as an assistant for Kevin Constantine. He served for the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins for three seasons, from 1997-2000. Ward's other assistant coaching stops include two seasons at Indianapolis of the now-defunct International Hockey League, three seasons at the University of Wisconsin and three at the University of Denver.

He was named the ECHL's Coach of the Year for the 2000-01 season when he led Trenton to the Kelly Cup Finals with a 50-18-4 record. He also joined ECHL Victoria in mid-season in 2005-06, leading the Salmon Kings to a 12-14-8 record.

Ward first became a head coach in 1987, with his Alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Ward played four seasons of collegiate hockey at UWEC, which included winning the NAIA national championship in 1984, and was Assistant Coach there for two seasons prior to becoming the Head Coach.

Ward is also the founder and owner of Hockey and Sons, a hockey camp concept for both the parent and child to participate on-ice together. The camp runs three times each summer on the campus of Shattuck St. Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota.

Ward will join the staff of Head Coach Jim Playfair in Abbotsford along with second year Assistant Coach Steve O’Rourke.

Baldwin, a native of Winnipeg, MB, will be entering his fourth professional campaign with the launch of the 2010-11 season. In 67 games with the Abbotsford heat last season, he recorded four goals and 20 assists for 24 points while accumulating 84 penalty minutes. He also played in 12 post-season games as the Heat advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

KRIS CHUCKO – Right Wing

BORN: Burnaby, BC DATE: March 13, 1986

HEIGHT: 6’2’’ WEIGHT: 198 lbs.

SHOOTS: Right

HOW ACQUIRED: 1st round, 24th overall, in the 2004 Entry Draft

Chucko, a native of Burnaby, British Columbia, spent the past four seasons with the Calgary Flames affiliate in the American Hockey League. Playing in only 41 games, due to injury, in the 2009-10 season, Chucko recorded nine goals and nine assist for 18 points. For the 2008-09 campaign, he finished second in goals (28) and third in team scoring (51 points) with the Quad City Flames and played his first two NHL games with Calgary.

GAELAN PATTERSON – Centre

BORN: La Ronge, SK DATE: August 22, 1990

HEIGHT: 6’1’’ WEIGHT: 210 lbs.

SHOOTS: Left

HOW ACQUIRED: 7th round, 201st overall, in the 2009 Entry Draft

Patterson, a native of La Ronge, Saskatchewan, spent the past four seasons with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. Patterson netted 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points to go along with 31 penalty minutes during the 2009-10 regular season. He added four goals and six assists for 10 points during the 2009-10 WHL post season before joining the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) for three playoff games where he netted his first professional goal

Calgary, AB - Calgary Flames Executive Vice President & General Manager Darryl Sutter announced today the signing of defenseman Matt Pelech to a one year contract.

The 2009-10 season was Pelech’s third year of professional hockey. He was originally Calgary’s first round selection (26th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6’5”, 216 pound native of Toronto, was limited to 42 games last season due to a blood clot disorder that forced him out of the Heat’s line-up for three months.

He returned late in the season and played in all of Abbotsford 13 playoff games. Pelech saw his first NHL action in the 2008-09 season, playing in five games with the Flames and recording three assists.

I really like Pelech. I think if given time, he can become our new Regher or to a less extent Sarich. He's huge, pure defensive game and is solid in his end. Hoping he has a standout year this upcoming season.

Calgary, AB - Calgary Flames Executive Vice-President and General Manager Darryl Sutter announced today the signing of forward Stefan Meyer to a two year contract.

Meyer, a native of Fox Valley, Saskatchewan, made his NHL debut in 2007-08 with the Florida Panthers. The 25 year old left wing has played 333 games in the American Hockey League with Rochester and San Antonio netting 74 goals and 74 assists along with 449 penalty minutes.

Stefan was a key contributor on the 2003-04 WHL Championship Medicine Hat Tigers team where he netted seven goals, 10 assists and 27 penalty minutes in 19 playoff games.

Calgary, AB – The Calgary Flames Hockey Club announced today an extension to their affiliation agreement with the Utah Grizzlies of the East Coast Hockey League. Utah will become the Flames primary ECHL developmental club.

“We enjoyed our first year working with the Grizzlies in 2009-10,” said Flames Director of Player Personnel Duane Sutter. “We are confident, given the working relationship we have with Kevin Colley (Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations), that our players’ developmental needs will be well taken care of and that we can contribute to the on-ice success of the Grizzlies.”

I'm surprised there's such thing as hockey in Utah. I'm not surprised a Sutter is in charge of our player personnel.

Calgary, AB - Calgary Flames Executive Vice-President and General Manager Darryl Sutter announced today the signing of goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux to an American Hockey League Contract with the Flames affiliate Abbotsford Heat.
Lamoureux, a native of Grand Forks, North Dakota, made his professional debut in 2008-09 with Alaska (ECHL) where he helped guide the Aces to the Kelly Cup Championship.

Jean-Philippe spent the 2009-10 season with the Portland Pirates (AHL) playing in 28 games earning 14 wins, two shutouts and registering a 2.98 GAA.

Every summer, NHL clubs eagerly watch as their prospects hit the ice at development camps, hoping one of their rookies will be able to make the leap to becoming a full-time NHL player.

Player development coach Ron Sutter certainly has an idea as to which rookie he expects to suit up with Flames this fall.

"Who has the best shot? Well, Mikael Backlund will hopefully be here full-time. I don't think there's any reason why he shouldn't be. He proved that last year."
With 24 NHL games under his belt, Backlund certainly has the experience to make him a standout at this year's development camp. Some have even questioned if the former first-round pick even needs to be at the camp this season, citing his 20 points through 23 regular season games last year as a reason to push him straight through to the training camp in September.

However, Sutter views Backlund's presence at the camp this week a bit differently than the naysayers.

"I think it's important to remember that Mikael just has one year of pro under his belt and all entry-level kids are eligible to come to this camp," Sutter stated. "Really, he's no different than the other kids. You look at Buffalo's Tyler Myers. He went to their camp. It's all about development, it's all about learning and I think it's important for Mikael to be here and not get too far ahead of the game.

"He's still learning and he's a kid that is still green. He's still got a long way to go. We don't treat anyone any differently whether he's a first round pick or a seventh round pick, these kids still have a lot to learn in terms of development and that's why he's here."

Backlund always views his attendence as a positive step in his career.

"I feel good about it. It's a good opportunity for me to show the coaches and all the staff what I'm about. It's good - you get better as a player. You get in a lot of skating and skill development practices so it's good for me. I want to get better every day so it's good for me have this opportunity to get better.

Praying he has a solid rookie campaign. Hoping the coaching staff and management give him a fair shot.

Hard to miss big Breen
Notes, quotes and anecdotes from Flames development camp

It's hard to miss Chris Breen. Really hard.

At six-foot-six and 225 pounds, the defenceman is easy to pick out of the crowd at the Calgary Flames development camp, taking place all week at the Saddledome.

Signed as a free agent late last season, Breen could be one of those diamonds in the rough on the Flames blueline. Remember, Mark Giordano came to the Flames the same way -- a late bloomer who was never drafted but showed enough potential to catch the eye of Flames scout Tom Webster.

It was Webster who visited Breen in Peterborough, where he was playing in the OHL, and invited him toe play for the Flames top affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat, once the Petes were eliminated from the playoffs.

Breen, who turned 21 at the end of June, draws comparisons to Chris Pronger because of his wingspan and size. But that's a little lofty at the moment, although Breen doesn't mind using Pronger as an example.

"Obviously you try and play like that," said Breen. "He is a great player. It's a good guy to model yourself around. I try and use my reach and my stick and make good passes and plays. Really, shutting down the other team's top line is what I try and do."

In 65 games last season with Peterborough and Erie, Breen had four goals and 10 assists and 47 penalty minutes. He played one game with the Heat, collecting an assist and four penalty minutes.

He is, still, a work in progress. But happy to be in Calgary's system

Another big, defensive defenseman. Like the article says, a work in progress and he's only 21. Hopefully he has a couple solid years in the farm and maybe see him up eventually.

Abbotsford, BC – As promised Jim Playfair appointed a captain in time for the New Year naming Quintin Laing the franchise’s third captain ahead of the Heat’s Dec. 31 clash with the Texas Stars.

“From the moment that Quintin became a part of our team, we knew he was a natural leader,” said Playfair. “Quintin earned instant respect from our team and he helped focus our dressing room with leadership stability right away.

“He has already shown that he is a responsible leader and excellent at helping teach our young team how best to prepare both on and off the ice.”

Laing follows Garth Murray and Brett Palin who split time as the team’s captain during the 2009-10 season.

"From the start of the year until now, I don't think I could have asked for anything more," said Laing. "The (captaincy) is something I take very seriously. I want to make sure I'm an ambassador of the team on and off the ice. It's about being a good leader and a good communicator with the coach and assistants.

"It's a huge honour, a huge privilege every time you get to wear the 'C'."

In 22 games with Abbotsford this season Laing has a goal and five helpers. The 31-year-old was signed by the Heat in November after starting the season with the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL.

Abbotsford, BC – The Heat are in the process of concluding the back-end of their latest 10-game segment, their fifth of the season, and heading into Friday night’s action Abbotsford is 3-3-0-1 with seven of a possible 14 points.

“We have a set amount of points that we want to get out of each segment that we feel is going to put us in a good spot to make the playoffs and give us a really good run,” said forward Cam Cunning. “We’ve put ourselves a bit behind in this segment”

For his part, Cunning seems to have found a bit of his scoring touch of late picking up three goals and an assist in his last three games.

The news isn’t as good for the team as a whole, which has struggled out of the gates on this 10-game road trip with a 1-2-0-0 record after three games.

“We blew two leads in two games on penalties so what I’ve learned about our group is we’ve got better team structure in our game, but we need individual discipline for ourselves to really be put in a position where we can stay out of the penalty box and roll four lines,” said Heat head coach Jim Playfair.

CLEVELAND OH - Two goals fourteen seconds apart late in the first period sent the Lake Erie Monsters off and running, taking down the Abbotsford Heat 3-2 in a key North Division matchup on Sunday afternoon in Cleveland Ohio.

Former Heat forward and Abbotsford product David Van der Gulik scored the opening goal of the game for the Monsters, who also picked up goals from Matthew Ford and Kevin Montgomery. The Heat replied with goals by Powell River BC's Cam Cunning and Aldergrove BC's Matt Keith in the loss. Leland Irving turned aside 25 of 28 shots fired his way but picked up the loss in net for the Heat.

The loss leaves Abbotsford in fifth place in the North Division, now five points back of third place Lake Erie and two points back of the Toronto Marlies. The Heat will face the Hamilton Bulldogs on Tuesday afternoon. Game time is at 4 PM PST and can be heard on Country 107.1 FM, with Dave Sheldon calling all of the Heat action.